Pfizer said it hoped to retain a high percentage of the affected staff

One of Kent's biggest employers has announced it is to relocate part of its research and development work to the United States.

Pfizer's veterinary medicine discovery unit, which employs 81 people at the Sandwich plant, is to be moved to Kalamazoo in Michigan.

The firm said the changes would be phased in over 15 months and it hoped to retain most of the affected staff.

Pfizer employs 3,500 people at its research headquarters in Sandwich.

A spokeswoman said: "The company hopes to retain a significant proportion of the 81 colleagues in VM discovery whose roles are at risk as a result of the changes, many of whom are highly skilled scientists.

"There will be opportunities for them within Pfizer, either at Kalamazoo or at other Pfizer Global sites where human health research is being consolidated, including Sandwich.

"A process of consultation with affected colleagues is now underway, the aim of which is to explore ways to minimise redundancies."